


The High Cost of Living

by cynatnite



Series: The High Cost of Living [1]
Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV), Marvel (Movies)
Genre: F/M, M/M, Possible spoiler for Agents of Shield: Episode The Magical Place
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-02
Updated: 2014-02-02
Packaged: 2018-01-10 22:27:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 15,223
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1165305
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cynatnite/pseuds/cynatnite
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Nick Fury will do anything to save one of his people. He made sure no one was there to tell him when to stop.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The High Cost of Living

Battles were always worse the day after they ended. At least it was for Nick Fury. Soldiers on the ground would tell you war was hell and they’d be right, but not Nick. His hell was getting the list of casualty reports, reading through the names and trying to dictate letters to their families who would never know what their loved one was doing when they died.

After they came for Phil Coulson’s body, he had stared at the blood stain on the wall where he had bled out. Fury had almost blamed himself for not being here to save Coulson, but stopped short. _No_ , he thought to himself. _Loki deserves 150% of that_.

“Fucking bastard,” Nick whispered.

After stopping at Coulson’s quarters, he went in search of the only person on the helicarrier with Level 8 clearance. Commander Maria Hill was in Ops coordinating the next attack.

“My office, now.”

They met and after Fury closed the door behind him. “We’ve got a new Op.”

“Sir, we can’t right now. The helicarrier is a mess.”

Fury handled the Captain America cards. “I had Coulson’s body put on dry ice.”

“Whatever for, sir?”

“To preserve it. If we win this thing, I want you to bring in a supply transport for our dead. Move Coulson’s body with the rest, but keep it on the plane once the others are transferred off.”

“Sir, do you have any idea what you’re doing?” Hill was aghast at the morbidity of the conversation.

“This Op will be designated “Doghouse” with strict Level 8 access for the time being.”

“So eventually it will be downgraded.”

“No,” Fury answered. “I am going to create a new security clearance level. The only ones who will ever know about this are going to be the fewest people possible. His family will be given standard notification along with the others we lost. It won’t matter should we fail.”

“Fail at what, sir?”

“Fail at bringing him back.”

“Oh, my God.” With one hand, Maria leaned on Fury’s desk. Her thoughts immediately went to the scientific division of SHIELD. “Sir, we don’t have anything remotely capable of bringing someone back from the dead.”

“We’ve got a shitload of new technology laying all over New York City,” he told her. “That’s where we’ll start.”

“And the Avengers?”

“I’ll take care of the Avengers.” Fury looked at the cards again and had a revelation. “They’ll get their act together quick enough.”

”Sir, I don’t see how we can hide this. The Council…”

“Will not know. I can handle getting the expenditures under their noses. The Chitauri helped guarantee that. Money will not be an issue.”

“Where do you want the body sent?”

“I’ll have that answer for you by the time this thing is over.”

~*~

The first thing Fury did was order Clint Barton restrained despite Natasha’s assurances that he was no longer a risk to SHIELD. He went to security where she was sitting with him and motioned through the window.

Natasha came out and they stood on the walkway.

“How is he?” Fury asked.

“It’s like a drug was in his system,” Natasha told him. “Something shook loose when his head hit the railing during our fight.”

“He needs to go to medical when he’s done.”

“Sir, he’s fighting it.”

“Yes, he’s been fighting it since Loki got his hooks into him. He still coordinated SHIELD enemies after Loki was captured and then led a strike force of mercenaries. Now, he and Selvig both fought back in their own ways. Otherwise, the helicarrier would’ve been in the water and New York would be leveled.  It still makes him a security risk.”

“I can get the details of the invasion from him. He has a lot of intel.”

“He gave up a lot of intel, Tasha.”

It was rare that Fury said her given name. She knew that Clint regaining the trust would be an uphill battle. “I trust him.”

“Good then. You’re responsible for him. It’s your ass on the line.”

“Thank you, sir.”

Fury started to leave and then stopped. “Does he know about Coulson?”

“No, sir.”

“They were close?”

“Yes, sir. Coulson was his SO when he first came to SHIELD.”

“Keep a lid on it for the time being. I don’t want Barton losing focus once the shit hits. Understood?”

“Yes, sir.” She didn’t like it, but Fury was right. “I’ll tell him as soon as it’s over. He’ll understand.”

“Good.”

~*~

It did end and they won. While the loss of life had been significant, it wasn’t as catastrophic as it could’ve been. Fury was grateful for that much.

He had found a location for the new operation designated “Doghouse”. The desert was always a first choice in any clandestine operations. This was no different. The Sahara was large enough that areas would go years without even a human footprint. The isolation was perfect.

The cover was an underground research station with a small crew that Fury himself had handpicked. It would be necessary to oversee every aspect of this operation to not only insure secrecy, but also to make sure they didn’t fail.

As he had suspected, the funds to finance such an undertaking weren’t the least bit difficult with the enormous amount of alien research ahead of them. He had funneled a significant portion for this operation. It took some doing to cover his tracks.

Once he arrived on site, he followed the large insulated crate inside the building. Dr. Amanda Goodman waited at the door. She guided them to a storage room.

“I know it’s not much, but this is the best place for him until we’re ready to begin,” she told Fury.

“Do you have everything you need?”

“I have a colleague I’d like to consult with. He does have Level 8 clearance.”

“Absolutely not, Doctor. This will remain a need to know at all costs. Should we run out of options, I’ll consider it.”

“I understand. Can I look at him?”

Fury motioned for the guards and the lid was removed. He watched Dr. Goodman unzip the bag and pulled the sides apart. His gut clenched at the sight of his dead friend.

“Wow,” Amanda said. “If I didn’t know better, I’d say he’s as close to looking alive as possible. I’ve never seen a more perfectly preserved cadaver.”

Fury clenched and unclenched his fists. He nearly screamed at the doctor that Phil Coulson was not a cadaver.

“One more thing,” Fury said. He watched her zip the bag over Coulson’s face and the lid put back in place. “There is to be no electronic records whatsoever.”

“How are we to conduct tests? The data will need to be transmitted for review and confirmation. They’d never know it came from here or what it was for.”

“No.” Fury was firm. “I will send someone to oversee the data and to make sure not one electronic byte ever leaves this building. If you need confirmation of anything, keep it amongst yourselves here, Doctor. Is that understood?”

“And how are we to communicate, sir? Carrier pigeon?”

“I’ll be here often enough that it won’t be a problem.”

The small cargo plane took him to Dubai where he met a SHIELD private jet and his assistant. During the ride home, he rubbed his eyes as he listened to the updated reports of New York’s recovery, the alien technology and the current status of the Avengers.

The council hadn’t been happy with the call he had made and he suspected his own status as SHIELD director was being questioned especially since he had let Barton off the hook for his role. There were a few members who could decide to take it upon themselves to attempt to hold the agent accountable.

“Track down Agent Clint Barton.”

“Sir?”

“He’s not to come in. I’ll go see him.”

“If you don’t mind my saying sir, you need some time off. A good night’s sleep would do wonders, sir.”

“I’ll sleep when I’m dead.”

“Sir, I could delay your meetings at SHIELD…”

“I said no, McNeil!” Fury sighed. His assistant was a consummate ass-kisser, but he meant well. “Find out where the remaining Avengers are and keep tabs on them. If I ask where one of them is, they had better be at that spot within a 15 minute window. Am I understood?”

“Yes, sir.” The assistant scribbled more notes. “One more thing, sir.”

“What is it, McNeil?”

“Who is taking over for Agent Coulson?”

Nick froze. Not once had it ever occurred to him to find someone to fill Coulson’s shoes. How in the hell was that even possible? He felt the air leave his lungs and the ache in his chest grew thick and hard.

_Fucking bastard_ , he whispered under his breath. He was sure McNeil hadn’t heard him.

“Shift his responsibilities to Agent Beranger. Coulson’s spot will remain empty for the time being.”

“Yes, sir.”

~*~

It was more difficult to track down Clint Barton than anyone had bargained for. Nick hired the pilot of a bush plane to take him to the remote location. Once there, a guide led him to the small cabin. When he was alone, Nick surveyed the area and was amazed at the picturesque snow-covered mountains.

He knocked on the door and when no answer came, he opened it and went inside. “Barton.”

It was obvious no one was around. Feeling a chill, Nick went to the fireplace and got a fire going. He started a pot of coffee to get the coldness out of his bones.

The wait had only been an hour when the door opened. It was obvious Clint wasn’t the least bit surprised to see him.

“There’s no such thing as being too far away from SHIELD these days,” Clint said. He flung his kill on the counter and got a cup of coffee. “Least you made coffee after breaking in.”

“What the fuck is that, Barton?”

“Porcupine.” Clint set his bow and quiver near the door. He took out his hunting knife and began carving the animal. “You’re welcome to join me for dinner.”

“Road kill Delight?” Fury sarcastically questioned. “No, thanks. I’ll stick with the local steakhouse.”

“Suit yourself.” Clint tore the guts out of the animal and set them in a bowl.

“Don’t tell me that’s your entre.”

“I freeze it and use it for bait when bear is in season.” Clint didn’t look up from his task. “Why are you here, sir?”

“I figured I should check up on you.”

“Bullshit, sir. You came here to make sure my brain didn’t revert back to being Loki’s bitch.”

“I need you back out there, Agent Barton.” Fury got up and stood across from Clint. The agent refused to look up at him. “The Council is going to think they’ve got good reason to mistrust you the longer you keep yourself isolated like the fucking uni-bomber.”

“I have no reason to go back out there, sir. Coulson is dead and the Avengers have gone their separate ways. If the Council is so damned worried, I’ll head farther north. They’ll forget soon enough when the next crisis comes along.” Barton finished and then washed his hands. “Besides, other than Natasha no one else will want to work with me. It won’t matter how many goddamn shrinks says my brain is firing on all cylinders.”

Fury nearly cursed. Barton had foreseen his next tactic. Now he had to hit below the belt far sooner than he had counted on.

“Coulson’s spot needs filled.”

Clint then lost it. “You are a fucking bastard, Fury. You think that I’ll step into his shoes because I owe him?”

“He recruited you and trained you, Agent Barton. You were always at the top of his list when he needed to put teams together. He was your handler on a shitload of successful Ops. You think he was grooming you to spend your life doing grunt work in the field?”

It was obvious that Clint was barely containing his fragile emotions. “I killed him, sir,” Clint breathed. “I was the one who ordered those mercenaries to free Loki at all cost. Taking out the helicarrier was the second objective. I practically shoved that fucking spear through his heart!”

“You listen to me, Agent Barton!” Fury ordered. “The outcome would have not been the rosy one we got had you accomplished both of your stated goals. I’ll only tell you this only once, Agent. You taking on the role as Coulson’s murderer…no fucking way. You’re not allowed to give that fucker a free pass because of what you think you did.”

It was obvious to Fury that Clint still didn’t fully believe him.

“You enjoy your porcupine, Barton. You’ve got a week to get your shit together and report to me on the helicarrier. Got it?”

“Was Coulson grooming me, sir? Or are you telling me that to get my ass out of this cabin?”

“Yes.”

~*~

Two days later Fury was back on his private jet headed to Dubai when his assistant finished a phone call.

“Sir, Thor sent a message through Dr. Foster. He said that his people have volunteered to assist with tracking the alien technology. They have the tools that we lack.”

“Relay back to Thor that while we appreciate the offer, thanks, but no thanks. We’ll clean up our own fucking house.” When Fury saw McNeil about ready to send the message, he had a second thought. “No, don’t send that. Tell him this: We appreciate the Asgardian’s willingness to assist us. However, our people are understandably anxious after the attempted alien invasion. Another large group of aliens could exacerbate an already nervous population. We would appreciate a small delegation to assist in detecting the alien technology.”

“Very diplomatic, sir,” McNeil said has he typed the message on his tablet.

“Diplomatic hell,” Fury responded. “I want that fucking scanning tech of theirs.”

Fury took another plane ride to the Doghouse and once inside he was met by Dr. Goodman. “It’s fucking cold as hell in this place, Doc.”

“It was necessary to lower the temperature as much as possible throughout the building, Director,” she explained. “Working on Phil Coulson’s body is very delicate. It can’t be too warm or too cold. It has to be just above freezing so that we’re able to manipulate the tissue without damaging it.”

He went to the observation room and watched two surgeons operating on Coulson’s heart.

“How much damage is there to his heart?” Fury asked.

“Significant. I’m surprised he lived as long as he did with that blow.”

“Mr. Mild Mannered SHIELD agent is one tough son of a bitch, Doctor.”

“He really needs a new heart.”

“What would it take to get one?”

“A healthy dead person,” she responded.

“Doctor,” Fury chided.

“We would need a recently deceased donor with a healthy heart. It would have to be here in a matter of hours.” Dr. Goodman shook her head. “It’s not possible to do it under these conditions.”

“There are aliens who want to kill us. Anything is possible, Doctor.”

“Sir, the manpower alone would put everything you’re trying to do here at risk. Heart transplants are enormous undertakings. The odds are better at repairing the damage. Phil Coulson still has an extraordinary healthy heart. His valves are in exceptional shape.”

“That’s good.”

“Well, we still have some big hurdles to overcome.”

“Namely?”

“Blood. Coulson lost majority of his blood supply both externally and internally. We’ve been able to stave off necrosis without needing blood and oxygen at this point, but it’s just putting off the inevitable.”

“How much do you need, Doctor?”

“Enough that it won’t be missed.”

“Give me a number.”

“Fifty units at least if we don’t have clotting issues.”

“That shouldn’t be difficult.”

“Buying it from a blood bank would mean reporting it to the FDA and other government agencies. Every unit is recorded and tracked from donor to patient. Missing units mean investigations which can put the entire blood supply of a bank at risk.”

“Doctor, you’re not making this easy.”

“It shouldn’t be at this level. It can be done, Director, but it’s costly.”

“Explain.”

“A non-profit blood bank is out of the question. There is no way we could do this because of the quality of the donors. Non-profits have better donors.” Dr. Goodman had to sit down and Fury followed. “A smaller blood bank that pays donors in a large metropolitan city is likely to be able to supply what we need. We can have an operative set aside an acceptable number of units that pass early testing labeled as discards. Those units can be brought here under refrigerated conditions with no one the wiser.”

“Fifty units?”

“No, Director. More like 200.”

“But you just said…”

“To find acceptable units will mean going through at least 150-200 units. Each unit has to be tested for disease and other factors that can’t be done locally. Testing samples are usually sent to a central lab. We can still label the units as discards without sending the samples out. We need 200 units so we can do the testing ourselves. It’s the only way to insure we get quality blood for Agent Coulson’s body.”

Fury rubbed his eyes. “That means more people, correct?”

“With rotating shifts, we should be able to do the testing ourselves. It means more equipment and money.”

“That I can do.”

Fury stood and went to the window. Gazing at Phil’s face, he mentally willed him to wake up.

“We have yet to determine how to handle the largest problem, Director.”

He kept his focus on Coulson. “What’s that?”

“Sir, no amount of dry ice or cryogenics can stop the damage to the brain as a result of lack of blood and oxygen. It’s catastrophic and permanent. Brain atrophy has already happened.”

“One problem at a time, Doctor. We’re not there yet.”

Fury was on his way to the door.

“Director?”

“Yes, Dr. Goodman.”

“Phil Coulson is A positive.”

~*~

Once back at the helicarrier, Fury was pleased to see Clint back at work. The young agent would have to work to earn the respect of his peers and that Fury knew would be no easy task. As much as he wished he could put a protective arm around Clint, it would be a colossal mistake. So, he gave Clint a nod before heading to his office.

Once behind his desk, he took out his smartphone. Fury started to tap on the screen and he was quick to discover how much he despised a phone that supposedly did it all. He didn’t dare use his laptop for this research.

A knock at the door broke his concentration. “In,” he announced.

Commander Hill entered the room. “Sir, the Asgard delegation will be here within the hour. They’re requesting a survey of the damage and wish to inspect the Chitauri corpses.”

“Is Thor with them?”

“No, sir. He was recalled back to Asgard. There was some lobster invasion,” Marie said with a confused face. “It probably wasn’t lobsters. I just don’t understand some of the words.”

“You and me both, Commander Hill.”

“Sir, about Operation Doghouse…”

“It’s being handled.”

“Well, I was thinking that I could help.”

“Commander Hill, this is one Op that you’ll have to remain in the dark about. It’s also classified as Level 10.”

“We don’t have a Level 10.”

“Yes, we do.”

Fury went back to his phone and he haphazardly tapped on different apps waiting for her to leave. No way was he about to give a heads up of what he was doing.

“Dismissed, Commander.”

It took only a few minutes to find what he was looking for. Another search brought up enough generic information that gave him all that he needed.

~*~

The Adgardians seemed to have no interest in a tour of the helicarrier so Fury escorted them to the city where he guided them through the ruins. They discussed logistics, tracking smaller alien debris and the potential of still alive Chatauri.

It took some negotiating to get the scanning technology. Much of it was negotiable, but there was one point the Asgardians refused to budge. It was either accept it or they would be left empty handed. Fury managed to keep the cursing at a minimum. He had them taken back to the helicarrier while he handled some business before dealing with this latest complication.

The small blood bank sat on a corner street with the entrance facing the side. He would have nearly missed it were it not for the street address. There wasn’t even a sign advertising it. Fury couldn’t decide if that was a good thing or not.

He went inside and took note of the waiting donors. Staff at the desk appeared busy. One of which was an attractive black woman speaking to a donor. He took note of the long legs as she crossed them.

When she finished, she looked up. “Can I help you?”

“I’m looking for your supervisor.”

“You’re looking at her. I’m Dr. Meagan Michaels.”

Fury gave her his best smile. He hoped he could charm her enough for a drink even if he left empty handed.

“Nick Fury.” They shook hands. “Can we talk privately?”

“Listen, we’re shorthanded today and I don’t have time to take any meetings.”

“Are you doing the sticking?” Fury asked.

“Actually, yes. I’m covering for one of the techs for the next few days.”

“How about I donate some blood for free and we can have our meeting.”

Meagan smiled back at him. “You’ve got a deal.” She handed him a card and a pen. “You better hope you pass the screening.”

Fury took the items and was happy to do as she asked. This was going well, he thought.

~*~

After an hour wait, Fury was growing impatient. He had the Asgardian delegation still waiting for him and the last thing he wanted was to earn their ire, but it was a chance he could take. Their demand was important enough that they could wait. He had shut off his phone after Commander Hill’s third call.

“Mr. Fury.”

Fury crossed the room and was guided into a screening room. He had hoped it was the attractive doctor, but instead it was a tech who took his vitals, asked some questions and stuck his finger. Fury was growing more impatient with each passing second.

Much to his relief he was taken to a donor bed and instructed to sit. He watched the tech hand Meagan his card. “Guess I passed with flying colors, Doc.”

“You’ve been to Africa?”

“Several times.”

“In the last year,” she said.

“Isn’t that what I wrote?”

“You’re not eligible to donate for at least 6 months.”

“So why am I here?”

“Somehow I felt we’d have an interesting conversation.”

“That’s no lie, Doc.”

Meagan sat on the stool and moved closer. “Okay, shoot.”

“You own this blood bank. Correct?”

“Myself and eight stuffy old men called a board of directors. They’ve graciously allowed me to run it.” 

“I want to buy it.”

“You want to buy a blood bank.”

Fury gave her another one of his best smiles. “Lock, stock and barrel. I’ll even buy out everyone’s contracts. You can even run it if you’d like. I may be well seasoned, but I sure as hell ain’t old.”

“Forgive me, Mr. Fury, but what on earth are you going to do with a blood bank?”

“As long as you walk away with enough to buy a condo in Manhattan, you shouldn’t care.”

Meagan got to her feet. “Mr. Fury, this is my neighborhood. We need blood and people are poor here. It’s a give and take relationship that I don’t take lightly and I sure as hell didn’t do it for the money.”

Fury got off the bed and stood close to her. “Trust me when I say that it’s for a very good cause. If you want it after I get what I need, it’s yours free and clear. You can still run it.”

“That’s called an offer too good to be true, Mr. Fury. Those are the kinds that get people indictments. You get my drift?”

“This is as close to the truth you will ever get, Dr. Michaels. I am trying very unconventional means to save the life of someone who is very special. That requires untraceable A positive blood. I need 200 units.”

“200 units for one person!” When she realized she had raised her voice, she covered her mouth.

“You outsource your testing, correct?” Fury asked.

“Yes.”

“That’s not an option. You get me those units and my people will do the testing. I’ll put this place solely in your hands, Doctor. I’ll even have some grants thrown your way.”

“You can do all that?”

“Yes. How much do you pay donors?”

“$25 for first time donors. $35 and $45 for subsequent donors.”

“Pay them all $50 each. Call it a temporary sale.”

“We’ll be overrun. There is no way we can manage it.”

“It’s only until I get the units I need. I’ll send some people to assist. The only condition is that it has to be you to get me those A positives. I’ll arrange the pickup after hours. Do we have a deal?”

“Can you provide the funds for the short term?”

“I’ll have it to you by the end of the day.”

“This person must mean a lot to you.”

“The world, Doc.”

“Agreed.”

“Oh, and one more caveat, Doc.”

“Another one?”

“If this thing ends well, I expect you to agree to dinner.”

Meagan smiled. “You’ve had me intrigued since the minute I laid eyes on you. But I have to warn you about my mother.”

“Your mother already?” Fury smiled a little.

“My middle initial is O, for Olivia. MOM. She thought it would make me more appealing to men looking to settle down and have a family.”

“Doc, she sounds like the smartest woman I haven’t met, yet.”

They both laughed a little and Fury hurried his way out the door. He had only gotten a few blocks when he heard his name called.

“Damn it,” Fury said between clenched teeth. “I don’t have time for this shit.”

When he turned he saw that it was Steve Rogers.

“Sir, I never expected to see you here.”

“The Asgard delegation wanted to survey the damage from the Chitauri attack.”

“That’s several blocks away, sir.”

“They were curious about Earth. You’re here, Rogers.”

“I like to walk through some of the older neighborhoods. It reminds me a little of home…well, long ago home.”

“Does it?”

“No, not really.”

“I need to get back, Rogers. Check in later. We’ll touch base for a beer.”

Fury hurried off. He turned on his phone and ordered Commander Hill to make sure the Asgard delegation remained in the conference room until he got there. He chastised himself for not doing that sooner.

~*~

He finally got to his transport and the phone rang again. Fury didn’t recognize the number. “This is Fury.”

“Director, this is Dr. Goodman.”

“Where are you, Doctor?”

“I’m in Dubai, sir. I knew better than to call from…I called because I got word from a colleague in San Paolo about some research that might help us.”

Fury got up and moved to the back of the transport. He couldn’t afford anyone to hear. “What kind of research.”

“It’s gamma ray nanotechnology. It’s supposed to be a new way of fighting cancer, sir. This is as cutting edge as it gets.”

“The only one I know who has worked with that kind of radiation…”

“I know, sir, and he would be the expert who could crack the technology. God, I wish we could bring him on board. He’d be invaluable.”

“I don’t have to explain why that is out of the question.” He wished he could cut a break. “Call my assistant at SHIELD headquarters. Tell him you need to add a name to my Christmas card list. Give him your colleague’s information.”

“Yes, Director.”

“I’ll be in touch.”

Fury sighed. Dr. Goodman’s colleague would be pissed as hell when he discovered that this data was about to be mysteriously destroyed.

~*~

Once Fury stepped off the transport, he was met by Commander Hill. “Have Agent Barton meet me outside the conference room. I’m not going to have time to talk to him before we meet with the Asgardians.”

“Yes, sir. They’ve been remarkably patient.”

“Good.”

He met Clint at the door. “They’ve got a request to make and since I didn’t have the time to meet with you about it, you’re going to find out during this meeting. It’s up to you, but you think about it first before you turn it down.”

“Let’s just get this thing over with, sir.”

Once in the room, Fury made a beeline for the delegation. “I apologize for the delay,” he explained. “This is Agent Clint Barton. Agent Barton, Lady Sif.”

“Agent Clint Barton,” Sif said. “It is indeed an honor to meet you.”

She introduced the rest of the delegation to Clint.

“Director Fury said you had a request.”

“I apologize, Agent Clint Barton, but it is far more than a request given its importance. Director Fury has negotiated for our scanning technology necessary to detect those things that are not native to your world. He has agreed to many of our requests, but this one thing.”

“What is it?”

Lady Sif looked a little uncomfortable and she shifted her footing. “After you were released from Loki’s spell, did your people not question you about your time with him?”

“Yes, it’s called a debriefing.”

“We do require this debriefing as well, Agent Clint Barton.”

“Fine. Ask whatever you want. I’ll tell you whatever I remember.”

“Agent Clint Barton, we do not use crude methods of verbal interrogation or questioning. It’s considered highly unreliable.”

“I don’t understand.”

“We have a method that can bear testimony to what you witnessed under Loki’s spell.”

“Lady Sif,” Clint said. “You’re good at beating around the bush. Just spit out.”

Sif smiled and gave a nod of her head. “We have the technology which can show us what you witnessed. It’s quite harmless.”

“You want to stick a device in my brain so you can get a front row seat to the shit I did in Loki’s name. Lady Sif, fuck off.”

Clint did an about face and left the room with Fury at his heels. Once in the hallway, Clint turned on him. “That’s what you want me to do? Let them watch my memories like a goddamn DVD?”

“We need this tech, Agent Barton. I can’t order you to do it, but think about what’s at stake here.”

“I’ve got more reason not to give those fuckers what they want than anyone else on this planet, sir!”

Lady Sif came through the door. “Agent Clint Barton, I do apologize for how difficult this is for you. The pain you’ve suffered at the hands of someone I once considered my own brother is innumerable. Many of my people, most especially Loki’s mother, feel responsible for all that he has become. We ask this thing of you because Loki was provided with the means to destroy your world. We are endeavoring to discover this means in order to hopefully prevent future attacks.”

“Shit,” Clint muttered. He couldn’t say no now. “Better watch out, Fury. I think you’ve met your match. Let’s get this thing done.”

~*~

Back in the conference room, Clint was seated and Lady Sif applied a tiny metal disk at his temple.

“Ouch! You said it wouldn’t hurt!”

“I said it was harmless, Agent Clint Barton. Not painless.”

“Yeah, well warn a guy next time.”

Lady Sif took a small handheld device with a screen and made her adjustments while the rest of the delegation looked on in anticipation.

“Agent Clint Barton, you must take deep breaths and ease your tension.”

Clint closed his eyes and breathed deeply. “Don’t know about easing my tension.”

“To the best of your ability,” Lady Sif suggested.

“You must envision the first moment you saw Loki.” Sif looked at him. “Can you see it?”

“Yes, he appeared where the testing for the doorway was being done.” Clint flinched and then grunted.

“What is happening?” Lady Sif studied the images on the pad.

“Loki’s firing something at us. It damn near took Fury out.” Clint had a tight grip on the arms of the chair as he relived the moments of when he Loki had taken possession of him. “Shit!”

“You must tell us what you see, Agent.”

Clint suddenly began relaxing. “It’s better now. Loki needs me to help him.”

Fury stepped closer. “This isn’t turning Agent Barton back into Loki’s lapdog, is it?”

“No,” an Asgardian assured him. “He is experiencing those emotions at that moment.”

“Jesus Christ! I just fucking shot Director Fury!” Clint banged on the armrests of the chair. “I fucking shot him! Phil help me!”

“That’s enough,” Fury ordered. “I’m putting a stop to this.”

“Director Fury,” Lady Sif said. “I know this is difficult, but we must continue. It’s imperative to have a full accounting of Agent Clint Barton’s movements until he was released from Loki’s spell. He understood this when he agreed.”

“Fine,” Fury said as he crossed his arms. “Next time you need a debriefing, you’ll take our old fashioned crude questioning whether you like it or not.”

The next hour was spent going through memory after memory. Clint went into explicit detail of how he had planned the helicarrier attack. Giving Loki detailed information about each member of the Avengers had given them a significant advantage. The helicarrier was a key tactical weapon in defending the planet. Clint had made sure Loki knew their tactics, weapons and manpower. Fury had to make sure no one on the Council got wind of this. They’d have Clint executed without the benefit of a trial.

When it was over, Lady Sif removed the device and Clint leaned forward. He rubbed his eyes to hide the tears he was holding back.

“We are grateful for you cooperation, Agent Clint Barton.”

“Yeah, well fuck you, Lady Sif. I’ll bust anyone’s ass who asks me to do that again.”

Lady Sif handed the handheld device to an Asgardian and turned to Fury.

“Where is it, Director Fury?”

“I beg your pardon.”

“Loki’s scepter. Since it was not among the Asgardian technology returned to us, we had assumed it was destroyed in the battle. Agent Clint Barton’s memories indicate that was not so.”

“It’s Chitauri and it’s ours,” Fury told her.

“The design is Chitauri in nature. The power source is Asgardian. Perhaps you knew that.” Seeing that he wasn’t going to answer, Lady Sif stepped closer. “Director Fury, the scepter was lost thousands of years ago. It was believed to have been destroyed in battle. Its reemergence indicates the danger may not be over.”

“The way I see it, we need it more than you.”

“You seek to exploit its power. Is not the damage that Loki did to your own people enough to alert you to its dangers?”

“Your people have been waging war on my planet for thousands of years. We’ve got the mythology and evidence scattered around the globe. Now, you may be a few millennia ahead of us technologically, but we sure as hell didn’t invite ourselves to this BBQ. We got forced into it and now that we’re here, we’re not going back to bullets and rocks.”

“If you do not return the scepter to us, the All-Father will have no choice but to retrieve it without your permission,” Lady Sif said with lethal sweetness. “Would you risk a confrontation so soon?”

Fury took a minute and studied her face. Thor would stand with his people in such a battle. Not only that, they would get their asses handed to them. He had no choice.

“Follow me.”

With Clint close behind, Fury went to Banner’s lab to an electronic vault. He used retina technology and voice command to open it. Fury retrieved the scepter and handed it to Lady Sif. She motioned to one of her people who took a device and attached it to a computer.

“What the hell are you doing?” Fury demanded.

“We will remove all evidence of the scepter.”

“You’re going into SHIELD systems!”

“Your technology will not be harmed.” When it was done, Lady Sif said, “Director, your displeasure is explicable. In return for this inconvenience we will assist in adapting our scanning technology to your systems.”

“It’s appreciated. You know I meant that as much as you did.”

Not another word was said between them and Fury arranged for Commander Hill to escort the delegation back to their arrival point. He looked at Clint.

“I should’ve told them to go fuck themselves,” Fury said.

“You had no choice, sir. Neither one of us did.”

“Yeah, that seems to happen a lot these days. I didn’t know…” Fury stopped. He had suspected for some time about Coulson and Barton, but he was never one to entangle himself in people’s private lives unless it interfered with the job. “Take the rest of the day. After that hell you went through, you could probably use some rest.”

Clint shook his head. “If I close my eyes, sir, I’ll just see it all over again. If it’s all the same, I’d rather work.”

After he was gone, Fury picked up his walkie talkie. “Hill, have Luke Cage report to me in my office.”

As Fury headed to his office, he mentally listed every aspect of Operation Doghouse that he’d have to outsource. He had wanted to do all the legwork himself, but it was turning into a logistical nightmare. He had a few of his own private assets outside of SHIELD that he could call on.

~*~

When Fury got to his office, he went through his desk and found the photos. He told Cage to come in at the knock on his door. The beefy SHEILD agent had managed to somewhat hold his own against Thor. It made him the perfect choice for this mission.

“Relax, Agent. You’re going to be on a plane to South America in an hour.”

“Yes, sir.”

Fury liked it when they didn’t ask questions. He set out a picture. “Remember him?”

“Yes, sir. Bruce Banner, the Hulk’s alter ego.”

“You are first headed to Sao Paolo to steal to destroy a scientist’s medical research. Be thorough. Next, you’ll pay Dr. Banner a visit. Arrange to piss him off and avoid him like you’re on Rodeo Drive on LAPD day. Am I clear?”

“Yes, sir.”

“When you’re able, you will double back to Banner’s lab and take all his research. Don’t leave anything behind.”

“Sir, the Hulk…”

“I’ve got a plan of action for keeping him pissed for the time being. Any questions?”

“No, sir.”

Fury called his assistant and got that name off his Christmas card list. He scribbled it on a piece of paper and handed it to Cage. “Call me when you’re done and I’ll point you to Banner’s location.”

“Yes, sir.”

After he was gone, he dialed his assistant once again. “McNeil, I need the location of codename Wolverine.”

This was his riskiest move yet. Fury knew that if this didn’t go off without a hitch it was putting the entire operation on the line.

~*~

The worst thing about this job was the waiting. _Maybe not the worse_ , Fury mentally corrected. It was the need to rush an Op. He’d seen some operatives first hand try to force a situation in order to speed up the end result of a mission. Nine times out of ten it went bad for everyone involved. It never failed to end like the tipping over of a row of dominoes.

Waiting for Cage to contact him was setting him on edge and he was finding it tough to keep busy. Fury considered going to the Doghouse, but thought better of it. A few more days was needed before he trekked halfway around the world to a small base that wasn’t supposed to exist even on SHIELD’s radars.

The desk phone rang and Fury snatched it up. It was an encrypted line and he could keep it vague enough. “This is Fury.”

“Sir, it’s Cage. Stage One is complete.”

Instead of answering him, Fury gave him the coordinates using the letters on phone keys. “Understand?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Wait two hours after you arrive and then proceed.”

Fury hung up the phone and on his way to his plane, he glanced at Clint. “Suit up, Agent Barton. You’ve got some field work.”

He nearly grinned at Clint’s eagerness.

It was a good thing the Wolverine was still on the East coast. He found the mutant putting young mutants through the paces at Xavier’s School.

“You people never get rid of that government smell,” Logan told him. He took a look at Clint. “He’s not a mutant.”

“How are you, Wolverine?”

“The last time I saw you, I told you that if you ever came near me again I’d sink a claw into your remaining eye socket.”

“That was a lifetime ago, Logan.”

“Not for me.” Logan motioned to one of the other instructors to take over and they began walking around the grounds.

“This is Agent Clint Barton. Barton, Wolverine. Someone who likes a good fight probably as much as Thor.”

“That’s not hard to believe,” Clint remarked.

“Enough with the foreplay, Fury. What the fuck do you want?”

Fury took out his phone and pulled up the footage Cage had sent him. “Recognize him?”

“Yeah, it’s fucking Jolly Green Giant and he’s hunting for peas.”

“Well, he’s on a fucking rampage in the South American jungle and I need him settled down before he hits a populated area. We got lucky in New York this last time.”

“He did fuck up the Bronx on the last visit.”

Fury hated Clint’s silence. “You can slow him down long enough for Agent Barton to tranq him. He’ll be able to revert to a form that he’s more comfortable with.”

“Why the hell would I help you out, Fury. The last time we worked together you fucked me.”

“You survived,” Fury said. “Besides, I’ve got a bigger world to worry about than a street in Cairo.”

“What do I get out of this?”

“The Council has been on my ass to recruit mutants into SHIELD.”

“You call that a fucking favor?”

“I can keep them off your back and away from this school.”

“You always liked the political intrigue.” Logan shook his head. “Fine, I’ll do it, but tell junior over there he better not miss.”

“He’s called Hawkeye, Logan. He never misses.” Fury turned to leave. “The two of you have a plane waiting right now.”

Fury took his private jet back to the helicarrier and he sat back listening to McNeil drone on about the post-battle progress. It would take substantial time and resources to clean up the mess.

“Did you hear me, sir?”

“Say that again?”

“A dedication ceremony for the first responders is being held in two days with the vice-president in attendance. You’ve been asked to participate.”

“Only if Halle Berry shows up in her Catwoman costume.”

Fury was in no mood to rub elbows and he was eager to get to the Doghouse. He would need to get in touch with Meagan to check on her progress. If her predictions held true, he could have half of the units in a day…two at the most.

Rather than go to home to his empty apartment, Fury went to his quarters on the helicarrier. The noise made him feel not so alone. He stripped off his leather coat and laid it across the chair. He poured a large scotch and sipped it while he sorted through messages.

After stripping down to nothing, Fury got under the steaming hot shower. He planted his hands on the wall as the heated droplets soothed his aching back. He needed to mentally prepare for the next day because he knew once he got to bed, he’d never make it past his early morning itinerary.  

It suddenly occurred to him that he nearly forgot about the objective of Operation Doghouse. All the minutia of getting the desired end result was distracting him. He needed that sense of purpose. Coulson had reminded him often enough that losing sight of the goal was akin to giving up.

“Fucking bastard.” Fury got out of the shower and after drying off, he slid under the covers. The soothing sheets on his skin made it easier to fall asleep.

~*~

The ringing of phone roused Fury from his sleep. Rather than answer it, he put on sweats and a t-shirt. Before he could answer the phone, he heard a strange noise at his door. When Fury turned he saw it torn into pieces.

Wolverine came at him with claws drawn. Fury was pushed against the door and one long blade was at his neck.

“I warned you, Fury! You fucked me and I will fuck you right back, you piece of shit!”

“What are you talking about, Logan?”

“Show him?” Wolverine told Clint.

Clint tossed the SHIELD patch on the table. “That’s all we found of your man in the jungle.”

If all else fails, deny everything. Coulson had told him once that a little denial never hurt anyone. He had to find Cage and the research.

“Did you complete your mission?”

Wolverine retracted his claw and stepped back. “What was the fucking mission, Fury? It sure as hell wasn’t to subdue the Hulk since you’re the one that got his juices going in the first place.”

“Your mission was to slow down the Hulk, Wolverine. That’s not a lie. You did it and now you can get the fuck off my helicarrier.”

“Come near me again and I swear I will make you fucking blind.”

After he was gone, Fury picked up the patch. He looked at Clint. “Are you still on board?”

“On board for what, sir? I don’t know what the fuck we’re doing anymore.”

“If you’re not intent on taking out my other eye, get to work.”

“Yes, sir.”

Fury sat down and checked the time. It was almost 5am. His phone rang and he answered it. “Fury.”

“Sir, this is Commander Hill. Agent Cage won’t be at work for the next couple of days. He was in an accident.”

Fury started to laugh at the insane world he lived in. “Commander, doesn’t Cage have an SO to report that to?”

“He wanted me to tell you that he left your birthday present at your place, sir. Is it your birthday?”

Fury hung up the phone and with a grin, he hurried to dress. He had a trip to the Doghouse to take.

~*~

In addition to the research that Fury had gotten, he was pleased to have 100 units of A positive blood delivered to a private airfield where he had his jet pick him up. Despite McNeil’s penchant for ass-kissing, his assistant’s best talent was accepting that he didn’t have to be in the know about Fury’s business.

He arrived at the Doghouse with both the research and the blood. He met Dr. Goodman along the way.

“Were you able to repair Coulson’s heart?”

“There is no way to know how successful it will be until we get this blood into him. We need to get it tested and see how far Dr. Banner got in his research.”

“How long until you put everything to use on Coulson?”

“I’m hoping in about 8 hours.”

Fury went to the observatory and got comfortable. Coulson’s body had been returned to the freezer coffin after the repairs and now he was being brought back in order to raise his temperature. It was a slow process in order to minimize damage to his body.

After several cups of coffee and a bland lunch, Dr. Goodman and her team went to the operating room. Several pints of blood were hung and a ventilator was brought in the OR.

“Raise the temperature to 7 degrees Celsius.” She looked up at Fury. “In order to be most effective in the shortest amount of time without physical damage, we will raise his body temperature in stages. When we have transfused the needed red cells for viability, we will use the ventilator to help produce oxygen and a chest compression system to move that oxygen throughout his body.”

“Begin, Doctor.”

As they began the process of bringing Phil Coulson back to life, Fury nearly laughed aloud. He remembered as kid watching a show called the Six Million Dollar man. Here he was as Oscar Goldman and Coulson the broken Steve Austin. This would cost far more than the paltry six million to bring Coulson’s body back. Could they make it better? Should he try? _One thing at a time_ , he told himself.

It took hours to completely transfuse Coulson’s body. Once that was done, he was put on the ventilator to produce oxygen. Fury slowly got to his feet when he saw the compression device. It was placed over Coulson’s chest and then it did the job of acting as a heartbeat of sorts to that the body would receive both blood and nourishment. It was a morbid sight.

“Director Fury,” Dr. Goodman said through her mask. “Agent Coulson’s body needs to fully function. In order to do that we will need dialysis, hepatic flushing and possibly more in order to set him on the road to restoration.”

“Goddamn it, Doctor. He’s not a fucking old corvette that needs a paint job.”

“My apologies, Director. Give us another few hours and we should have an idea of where we’re at.”

Fury nodded and watched them continue their work. The dialysis machine was brought in and attached. Another one was adding a more liquid solution to Coulson’s deprived body. Seeing the massive amount of machines working to bring back his friend, Fury nearly yelled for them to stop.

When he had begun this path, he downloaded a simple video file to his phone. Fury pulled it up and watched it. The sound erupting from Coulson at the impact of Loki’s scepter was a sickening one. The hard-nosed director of a secret worldwide organization who had waged more wars and carried more dead bodies than he cared to remember would flinch every single time.

He set the phone down and leaned forward covering his eyes. _Fucking bastard_ , he swore.

Fury heard the door and he raised his head. Dr. Goodman took the surgical cap from her head.

“How is he doing, Doctor.”

“It’ll be at least 24 hours before we know if his body will react.”

“And Dr. Banner’s nanotechnology research?”

“I have only one member of my team that has any experience with nanotechnology and it’s quite limited. It’ll take at least a week to program the nanobytes for internal human repairs. I don’t want to begin that until we know how Coulson’s body responds to the treatment.”

“You don’t sound hopeful, Doctor.”

“I’m not, sir. Since we can’t get Dr. Banner, I do have a name.”

“Who?”

“His name is Dr. Alexander Vine. He has been doing similar research for some time and has shown some moderate success in human trials. He’s quite brilliant.”

“Why isn’t he already working for SHIELD?”

“He’s an egomaniac, sir. He publishes every research project he is a part of and he hates sharing credit with anyone. It’s why he gets up in the morning. He’s brilliant as hell and getting your name attached to one of his projects puts your career on the fast track.”

Fury leaned back. He’d prefer Banner. The man’s who personality was based on self-deprecation. He couldn’t afford Banner’s righteous indignation over this operation and he most certainly couldn’t afford putting him in the position of tearing this facility apart. It was obvious what he had to do.

“Would Dr. Vine sign a confidentiality agreement and keep his mouth shut?”

“I’ve known him since medical school. We had sex twice.”

“Doctor,” Fury said. “I didn’t need to know that.”

“I turned him down the third time. I’m sure I can convince him and feed his ego at the same time.”

“Contact him and get him here,” Fury ordered.

“We will need more red cells soon.”

“I’ll take care of it.”

~*~

Fury headed back to the states and went to SHIELD R&D. He was briefed about the enormous amount of Chitauri tech and did his level best to question without raising suspicions. He saw some promising prospects for Operation Doghouse and he knew he would need a brilliant computer engineer to not only get it working properly, but as he needed it.

As soon as he got to the helicarrier, he ordered Commander Hill to supply him with the names of the top rated computer engineers in the world whether they worked for SHIELD or not.

He was sorting through the names when Bruce Banner pushed past Commander Hill. Following him was Tony Stark and Steve Rogers.

“It’s fine, Commander Hill,” Fury said with a lazy sigh.

Bruce planted his hands on Fury’s desk and leaned forward. “Just answer one question, Fury. Did I kill anyone?”

“What makes you think I can answer that?”

“Moody chap,” Tony said. “Has multiple dicing options for salads.”

“Wolverine,” Fury said. “What did he tell you?”

“Answer my question first,” Bruce demanded. “Did I kill anyone?”

“No, you did not.”

The relief on his face diffused the tension in the room considerably.

“Where is my research?” Banner asked. “What did you do with it?”

“Doctor, I don’t have a clue what you’re talking about.”

“What research?” Steve asked.

“Gamma ray nanotechnology. It might temporarily neutralize the other guy until something better comes along.”

“Powerful research,” Tony said. “There is no limit to what one of those little shits can do if someone can stabilize the gamma radiation permanently. Kind of the thing you’re always looking for, isn’t it, Fury?”

“After nearly getting our asses kicked, Stark, I would think you’d be leading the cheerleaders for this kind of weapon.” Fury was more than happy to let them think he was using it for something other than what he had planned.

“I want it back, Fury,” Bruce told him.

“I don’t like this anymore than you do,” Steve told Bruce. “We nearly lost this planet.”

“Sorry, Doctor. The answer is no.”

Bruce stepped closer with a deadly smile. “I nearly helped take this damn thing down before. How about I go to the engine room and see how pissed I can get.”

“You willing to take all of us down, Banner?” Fury asked.

“Maybe that’s not the best tactic,” Tony said. “Why don’t you just tell us about Operation Doghouse.”

Fury missed schooling his face this time. He never thought anyone would ever discover the name. “You hacking my systems again, Stark?”

“You funneled $50 million dollars of government research out of SHIELD into a complex system of dummy corporations, charities that don’t exist and 15 banks around the world. The only name that keeps coming up is Doghouse.”

“What is that,” Rogers asked.

“It’s classified.”

“No, it’s more than that,” Stark answered. “The only reason I have that name is because I followed the money. There is not a slip of paper anywhere. No memos, no receipts, and no accounts. Nothing. Doghouse doesn’t exist, except that it does. Your face gave it away, Fury, and it’s big. Much bigger than anyone of us realizes. In fact, you’d probably die before you said a word.”

“Damn straight, Stark.” Fury was pleased at how little information Tony had this time. He had thought he covered his tracks well enough. “You three are expected to be the heroes. You’ve got the luxury to be righteous and condemn what I do. I can’t afford to live in that fucking world, Stark.  I will do what needs done and be happy to live in the shadows doing it.”

Steve crossed the room to Tony and patted his chest. “Come on. We’re not accomplishing anything here.”

“I’m a tenacious egomaniac, Fury.”

Tony let Steve lead him out of the office. Fury watched Bruce press on the wall a few times.

“Like tissue,” Bruce promised.

When they were gone, Fury sat down and let loose the breath he had been holding. He needed to do a better job of covering his tracks. Stark may not have much information, but it was enough. The one thing they shouldn’t have done was drop their hand. Being too emotional would do that.

“Sir, can I come in?”

“Sure, Agent Barton.”

Clint crossed the room and stood in front of him.

“I take it you saw Stark, Rogers and Banner.”

“Yeah, they fucking hate you, sir. We were talking and we know that it’s been a while, but…”

“Spit it out, Barton.”

“Coulson’s funeral. We never heard anything.”

“His family…” Fury stopped. He could see the raw pain in the agent’s eyes. “His family requested a private ceremony.”

“Was he buried, sir? Cremated?”

“I don’t know, Agent Barton. If you’d like a private memorial service would be appropriate.”

“Me?”

“Pepper Potts would be the one to talk to. She can help with the arrangements.”

“Good idea, sir.”

Clint was quiet, Fury realized as he watched the agent leave. Too quiet. He hoped that planning a memorial would help him cope with the loss.

“Loss,” Fury muttered. He swung his chair around at the window behind him and leaned back. As he watched the sun high above the clear ocean horizon, he again questioned his sanity on this path he chose. He didn’t want to bring out that wretched video again. He hated flinching like a schoolgirl at a horror movie.

“Fucking bastard.”

~*~

It was evening when Fury headed back to the blood bank. His personal courier wasn’t able to make the pickup and rather than risk another unpredictable involvement, he’d take care of it himself.

Fury found Meagan shutting off the lights. “Closing up, I see.”

“It’s been a hell of a day.”

“How’d you do?”

“Come see for yourself.”

Meagan led Fury to the basement where the lab and processing departments were. She opened up the walk-in refrigerator and sitting on the shelf were large bins holding the precious units of blood.

“How many are there?”

“We brought in a record over the last two days. There are nearly 170 units of blood here. You get 120.”

“The rest?”

“There is a small hospital that’s in desperate need for A positive. I figure since we already had most of it, they could get this.”

“Fantastic,” Fury told her.

They left the walk-in and Meagan stopped him. “Nick, I have to know. What are you doing with the units that you don’t need? Not all of them are going to be completely useless and one person can’t possibly…”

“Slow down, Doc.”

“If you don’t use those units, give them back to me.”

“How are you going to get them back in the blood supply?” When she didn’t answer, Fury continued. “I’ll do what I can.”

“It’s just that each unit represents three lives that could potentially be saved.”

Fury moved in close to her. “Doc, trust me when I tell you that this is for an amazing cause.”

“I do trust you.” Meagan leaned in and kissed him.

Fury responded by deepening it and pulling her close. He pulled off her lab coat and she slid his long leather coat from his shoulders. The passion intensified and Fury picked her up and set her on the counter. He unbuttoned her blouse, slid his hand inside and felt the breast peak in his palm. She went to work on his pants and Fury adjusted her skirt so he’d have better access. He kissed her neck and the soft moans coming from her made him want her more.

Once his cock was free, he angled closer and pulled her tight to him. He pushed inside and Nick groaned feeling her tightness around him. He began moving and Meagan met him thrust for thrust. Their coupling was fast, but intense. It took a minute to come off the high of a climax.

He pulled back and while he fixed his pants, Meagan adjusted her skirt and slid off the counter.

“I’ll never process blood down here the same again,” she said with a grin.

“I’ll get a hard on the next time I want to donate blood.”

They both laughed and shared a kiss. With Meagan’s help Fury packed the blood in the electronic coolers and loaded the van. It ensured the blood would be viable until it got to the Doghouse.

Fury loved how she made him feel. It had been a long time coming. His job always came first and he had a string of bad marriages and no kids to show for it. He wondered if this time could be different.

After an intimate parting, he left the blood bank and before going to the airstrip, he stopped at SHIELD R&D. Inside he went to the carcass of what was being called a Leviathan. The large arthropods were carriers of sorts and nearly impossible take down unless you were the Hulk or insane enough to play a game of Jonah and the whale.

“Director Fury?”

Fury turned around and a short overweight man in his forties stood holding a computer tablet. He pushed his black framed glasses further up his nose.

“You are?”

“Dr. Frederick Somerville, sir. I’m one of the engineers studying the mechanics of these creatures.”

“Getting late, isn’t it?”

“I prefer the evening, sir. It’s quieter. Much easier to concentrate on work. Noise is a distraction. So are phone calls, TV, music, and cooking food. Quiet is much better.”

“Yeah, Doctor.” Fury saw a weird man before him and decided not to question it. “So, what can you tell me about these things?”

“Well, they’re the only space-born organisms we’ve ever encountered.”

“I thought you were an engineer.”

“Yes, sir. It’s how they’re able to remain in space. These outer skeletal systems are designed to filter whatever environment they are in and adjust to provide them the ability to sustain themselves. The Chitauri themselves require radio frequencies. These Leviathans are different altogether.”

“How so?”

“Internally, they have systems imbedded into their organs which require a great deal of maintenance. Let me show you, sir.”

Fury followed him to an open area with pieces of alien technology scattered all over the floor.

“All of this was inside the Leviathan, sir. Except for this one.” The doctor showed a spider-like machine with long arms. “It is what helped maintain the Leviathan.”

Now, Fury’s interest was piqued. “Which part?”

“All of it, we think. It’s a maintenance drone. Its job was to repair both the mechanical and the physiological.”

“At the microcellular level?”

“Quite possibly,” Somerville answered. “We haven’t progressed that far, but we haven’t found anything this machine can’t repair.”

Fury moved closer and kneeled. This was what they needed. “Doctor, how high does your security clearance go?”

“I’m Level 6, sir. I work nights so there isn’t much for upward mobility.”

“You’re a computer engineer, Dr. Somerville. Why didn’t your name come across my desk?”

“Oh, no, sir. I’m a biomechanical engineer.”

“Do you have any family, Doctor? Someone who would miss you?”

“My cat Archimedes. My mother. She was committed to Bellevue 3 years ago.”

Fury rubbed his head. He hoped this wasn’t a mistake. “Can you leave for Dubai?”

“Dubai? When?”

“Now.”

“Sir, I have work here to do.”

“Dr. Somerville, I am the Director of SHIELD. You will not lose your job. In fact, I’m promoting you.”

“Oh, good Lord.” He looked a little pale.

“You now have a Level 10 clearance. Now, pick up that thing and anything else you think you might need to make it work. Put it in the van. We’ll stop by your place, get your cat and you can pack a suitcase. On the way, I’ll brief you about this project and its importance. Do you understand, Doctor?”

“Is it noisy, sir?”

“Trust me. You won’t mind.”

Fury was thankful that Frederick Somerville convinced a neighbor to take care of the cat. He wasn’t sure how well it would fly. Plus he despised cat hair.

By the time they got to the Doghouse, Somerville was briefed over the entire situation. He appreciated the need for secrecy and was more than pleased to find a way to make the alien equipment work.

Once inside the building, he met Dr. Goodman. “Doctor, this is Dr. Frederick Somerville. I think he’ll be a perfect asset for this operation. Once he explains to you what he’s doing, you’ll understand.

“Director Fury!” said an excited voice. A skinny lab-coated man came over. His wild hair was pushed back by the spectacles on his head. He gave Fury’s hand several hard shakes. “I’m Dr. Alexander Vine. It is indeed a pleasure to finally meet you.”

“Doctor.” Fury hated over-energized people.

“I must say that when Amanda told me about this project, I was indeed honored to be asked to consult. Now, the first thing we need to do…”

“The first thing, Doctor,” Fury interrupted. “Is to show Dr. Somerville where he will be working. He needs one of the labs near yours.”

“Oh, indeed,” Dr. Vine said. He went to Somerville and pulled him down the hall.

“Does he have to fucking say ‘indeed’ like that?” Fury shook his head. “Where are we at, Doctor?”

Dr. Goodman took Fury to the observation lounge where Phil Coulson’s body continued as it had before he left.

“His body is adjusting and producing blood, oxygen and other fluids essential to stay alive.”

“But?”

“We are constantly battling infections, poor electrolyte levels, and his body is not producing the key ingredients essential in dealing with these issues.”

“What’s stopping it, Doctor?”

“Without a working autonomic system we can’t even get to first base. Everything hinges on getting his neurological system up and running.”

“Well, let’s hope these doctors can make it happen. Your blood is here.”

“Good. He needs another transfusion.”

It was the unanimous decision to have the Chitauri device work in concert with the nanobytes. When Fury sat in a conference room to listen to the doctors, his head spun at the intricacies of the medical and technical babble. He didn’t understand 90% of what they’re saying.

He knew if he said “English please” one more time, he’d take his gun out and cap someone.

The doctors felt they were ready several hours later and Fury was not about to leave until he witnessed the first attempt at getting Coulson back to the land of the living.

Coulson’s skullcap was removed and his brain exposed. The device was ready and programmed for use. It began and everyone was mesmerized by the lightning work of its tentacles. The strange sight of the machine looked as if it was a mothering spider caring for its young. It became even more disturbing when Coulson’s body twitched in response to the actions.

It finished the first stage of restoring Coulson’s neurological system and Dr. Goodman came forward to stop the chest compression unit. He appeared to have a heartbeat. She then proceeded to remove his ventilator and once the tube was undone from the machine all hell broke loose.

Coulson’s vital signs stopped and the team converged to restore them. It took over half an hour and Coulson was back on the chest compression unit and the ventilator.

Fury met the doctors in the hallway. “What happened?”

“The various nervous systems work in conjunction with one another it seems,” Dr. Vine said. “We need to increase the nanobytes and the speed of the device.”

“Making it faster could wear down the nuts and bolts inside of the device,” Dr. Somerville explained. “Replacing it could be problematic. There are only a few of them left over from the invasion.”

“I’ll get them for you,” Fury told him. “Get on it. I’ll be back in two days to check your progress. Any news, contact me immediately…away from this facility.”

“Yes, Director,” Dr. Goodman said.

The ride back to the helicarrier went fast. Fury supposed it was due to the fact that the imagery of seeing Coulson so close to life repeated over and over in his mind. He was more determined than ever.

~*~

“Agent Clint Barton!” Fury yelled in the middle of operations. He didn’t give a damn who heard him.

Clint approached. “Sir.”

“I came back from a very long and tiring trip overseas only to find this fucking thing on my desk,” Fury hollered waving the paper.

“Sir, I don’t want to be here anymore.”

“Listen if it’s about that mission…”

“No, it isn’t. Without Coulson, I’ve got no reason to be here. He’s the only reason I stayed at this fucking place.”

“Maybe some time off…”

“Sir, nothing is going to change my mind. Nothing will ever bring me back to SHIELD especially after everything that’s happened.”

Fury almost did it. Right then and there he nearly spilled the beans. For the first time in his career with SHIELD he was going to violate not only SHIELD regulations, but also his own personal code by divulging classified information. He had to take a risk, but not the one everyone else would have taken.

“Your job will always be here, Agent Barton.”

“Thank you, sir. I’m leaving after the memorial.”

“Where are you going?”

“Upstate New York. Logan said that maybe teaching a few kids about bows and arrows might help them focus their powers.”

“Jesus H. Christ, Barton.”

“It’s not a waste, sir. I know that’s what you’re thinking, but it’s not.”

“It is, but that’s your choice.”

“Are you coming, sir?”

“What?”

“The memorial. It’s this afternoon at Stark Towers.”

“Yeah, I’ll be there.” Fury knew that not showing would only draw more attention.

~*~

_As memorials go, it wasn’t bad_ , Fury thought. Not great, but he’d been to worse. He hadn’t been asked to speak which he was glad. He couldn’t have offered anything in the way of comfort. There were the typical eulogies, a few jokes and a little laughter.

He looked over as Natasha sat down next to him. “Long time.”

Natasha adjusted her skirt and folded her arms across her chest. “It has. You’re barely in your office at HQ and you spend even less time on the helicarrier. That’s unusual for you.”

“We just got invaded, Romanov. I’ve been a little preoccupied.”

“You’ve used your jet more times in the last month than in the entire time since the Council made you take it.”

“What are you asking me?”

“It’s just that whatever you’re up to, it’s noticeable.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

The memorial finally ended and Fury figured he’d spend an acceptable time afterwards at the wake so as to be respectful. He shook his head at the thought.

“Did you notice that Bruce declined to join us?” Tony asked.

“He didn’t think a memorial was the best place for someone who can’t control their temper?”

“Not with you.” Tony took a glass of wine from the server. “He’s still pretty pissed about his research. You sure know how to hit in the gut, Fury.”

“I get told that a lot.” Fury grabbed an appetizer from a tray and popped it in his mouth.

“Fury,” Steve said as he approached them. “Have the Chitauri asked for any more tours of lower Manhattan?”

Fury kept his face schooled. “They haven’t been back.”

“What?” Tony asked.

“Fury brought a delegation outside the warzone. He said they were curious.”

“Those Asgardians and their curiosity about Earth.” Tony took another drink. “You’d think they’d never been here.”

“It’s been a while since the last time they came calling, Stark.”

Fury started to leave, but Stark stepped in front of him. “You’re making so many amateur mistakes in your cover-ups that it’s only a matter of time until I find out what you’re up to and I have a feeling it’s going to be the Avengers who hates your guts for it.”

“Stark, chances are you and the Avengers will do a hell of a lot more than hate my guts, but remember one thing.”

“What’s that?”

“I won’t be a fucking bit sorry.”

~*~

Fury was ready to head back to the Doghouse. His jet was getting a diagnostics so he scheduled takeoff for tomorrow morning. He wasn’t leaving the Doghouse unless it became absolutely necessary. He was determined to see this thing through.

Instead, he went back to the office and spent the rest of the evening doing paperwork detail. What he couldn’t finish, he handed over to Commander Hill. Along with the files for her office was his vacation request. He would take a week off and remain incognito for the entire time.

When he finished, he headed to Meagan’s apartment and she brought him inside without saying a word. She helped him undress and once on the bed, the love they made was slow and easy. Fury pulled her into his arms afterwards. The memorial service weighed heavy on his mind and he remained awake for most of the night.

~*~

The flight overseas to Dubai seemed to take forever and they were wearing on Fury. The jet lag was keeping him up at night and he was running on hot coffee several times a day. If he didn’t despise energy drinks, he’d take up the addiction.

Fury had a sugar rich cup of coffee in front of him. He debated on eating, but doubted he’d have much of an appetite.

“Sir,” McNeil said after hanging up his phone.

“What is it?”

“Phil Coulson’s mother passed away two hours ago, sir.”

It took a moment for the news to sink in. Suddenly, Fury struck out at the cup in front of him and it slammed against the wall leaving a mess behind. “God fucking damn it!”

It wouldn’t have mattered. He knew that, but it was still a heavy blow. He had refused to see her despite her requests to him. The woman had wanted answers regarding her son and all he had were lies.

“McNeil, her entire funeral services, outstanding debts are to come out of my personal account.”

“Sir?”

“I won’t be attending that funeral. Just make it happen.”

“Yes, sir.”

~*~

Once he got to the Doghouse, he was ushered to the observation lounge by Dr. Goodman. Looking down at Phil, Fury felt a weight lifted from his chest. There was no chest compression unit or a ventilator.

“His eyes are open.”

“He’s not aware of anything,” Dr. Goodman explained. “He has no memories. No personality. He is essentially a blank slate.”

“He’s not Phil Coulson.”

“At this time…no. Doctors Somerville and Vine are preparing to have the device begin to repair each neuron. It will reprogram each nanobyte whenever a repair is made and then the device will test that neuron. Its speed will have to be incredible in order to get this done as fast as possible.”

“Good.”

“There are millions, sir. No matter how fast it goes, it will take considerable time. We’ll have to watch him closely to see how he responds.”

“Will it be painful?”

“Possibly. I just don’t know. We can’t sedate him should he become aware of what is happening. It will keep us from determining his progress.”

“Understood, Doctor.”

“Sir, I should warn you that what we are about to do here may have unintended consequences. We have no idea what the repercussions will be should we be successful.”

“Doctor, I knew that when we started this thing. You may begin.”

The machine began its task of repairs and with each passing hour, Coulson’s body would react. At one point, they halted the surgery and the device was reprogrammed.

“What is it, Doctor?”

“The decision has been made to paralyze him, sir. It’s too risky should he seize or become aware enough to and react unexpectedly. We can repair it before we close.”

“Fine.”

The device began again and with each passing hour Coulson was nearing consciousness. Dr. Goodman was so worried about setbacks that she kept a crash cart and other medical equipment close by. They’d put him back on the ventilator and chest compression unit if necessary.

Just when Coulson mumbled his first word, he went into cardiac arrest. The team brought him back and when they were satisfied he was stable enough, the device continued from where it left off.

As long as they were able to revive Coulson immediately, there would be no need to repeat the device’s actions.

When Coulson began mumbling, Fury got to his feet and went to the window. He hit the intercom. “Doctor, what is he saying?”

“I was afraid of this, sir. It’s painful. Each neuron is being tested.”

“Continue.”

“Sir, it will get worse before it gets better.”

“Doctor, whatever it takes. Get this done,” Fury ordered.

“Yes, sir.”

And so it continued. Coulson’s pain increased as the device continued its task. He would go into sudden cardiac arrest and then he’d be brought back. Agonizing hours would pass and with each cardiac event, Coulson was brought back.

By the time they had him back from the fifth arrest, Coulson was begging for it to stop. Fury got to his feet again. “Doctor, outside now!”

He met Dr. Goodman in the hallway. “What the hell is going on?”

“Sir, his responses indicate that he’s retaining more and more cognitive function.”

“Are you telling me that he is remembering?”

“Yes, sir. He’ll likely have another cardiac arrest and we might be able to bring him back a few more times, but the strain on his heart is incredible. We have to stabilize him once and for all if we’re going to finish this.”

“What do you suggest?”

Dr. Goodman took a deep breath and sighed. She removed her surgical cap. “My colleague that I told you about is a brilliant man, sir. I think he’s our best shot.”

“We’ll get him here.”

“Sir, I should warn you that Dr. Streiten will consider what we’re doing here unethical. He’s a SHIELD physician who understands security, but I expect him to voice his concerns.”

“Will he get on board?”

“I can convince him.”

“Do it.” Fury felt his limits being tested farther than he could ever remember. There was so much on the line and he wasn’t about to stop now.

Two cardiac arrests later, Dr. Streiten was brought on board and the highly skilled team began the task of making sure that Phil Coulson remained alive. They were still at a delicate stage and the risks continued to rise. Once his condition was stabilized, the device continued working.

It soon became apparent that Coulson’s memories of being brought back were overwhelming and traumatic. He begged over and over to die. Fury wouldn’t have it.

He had a meeting with the team in the conference room and explained it under no certain terms. “People, we need a plan on the table. If Coulson is going to be brought back, he can’t be what I’ve witnessed on that operating table.”

“He’s a broken man, Director,” Dr. Streiten explained. “There is no science on this planet that can take back what’s been done to him.”

“What are you saying, Doctor?” Fury asked.

“We should stop. Let him go.” Streiten sighed. “To be perfectly honest, sir, you had no right to do this to him.”

“I’m not about to explain myself to you, Dr. Streiten,” Fury told him. “We’ve come this far and there is no turning back as far as I’m concerned. If you don’t have solutions or are unwilling to offer me any, you’re no good to me.”

“The problem is that he’s remembering everything that’s happened to him. It’s inexplicable that he’d have such detailed memories,” Dr. Goodman said.

“It’s the device,” Dr. Somerville replied. “It’s absolutely precise.”

“Explain, Doctor,” Fury told him.

“The Chitauri Leviathans have 10 to the 1000th power of neural pathways compared to humans. It’s how they were able to coordinate the Chitauri soldiers and communicate with their ship at the portal. It handled vast amounts of data. It’s my belief that we are witnessing similar precision. Agent Coulson’s memories and sensitivities have been heightened so to speak. His ability to remember is light years ahead of any human.”

“That has to be torture,” Dr. Streiten said. “To remember so much pain and trauma not counting the cardiac arrests and reviving him. No one can undo that trauma.”

“We can!” Dr. Vine nearly jumped from his seat. “We can reprogram the nanobytes and the device to copy a normal human brain. This device has never been used on humans before. How can it know not to treat a human as a Chitauri.”

“Yes,” Dr. Somerville agreed.

“And Agent Coulson’s memories of torture?” Dr. Streiten reminded the room.

“If you can tell the device how to operate on a human, Doctor, can’t you tell it to construct a memory to replace this one?” Fury asked.

“I don’t see why not,” Dr. Somerville answered. “It was able to collect Agent Coulson’s memories, repair damaged neurons and then reinstall them much like a computer system. All we have to do is build a program.”

“What would we replace this with?” Dr. Goodman asked.

“Tahiti,” Fury said. “It’s a magical fucking place.”

~*~

Fury watched Coulson sleeping. He watched his chest rise and fall with each breath. The pallor of his skin was healthy and vibrant. Every so often Phil’s eye would twitch. Phil Coulson was alive and well.

“I could almost do a fucking cartwheel,” Fury muttered.

He turned when Dr. Goodman came by his side.

“I can’t believe we did it,” she said. “I’m not sure we could pull it off a second time.”

“Is the plane ready?”

“Yes, sir. Everything is ready. We have a physical therapist, cognitive, psychoanalytical and any other kind of therapist you can think of will be on hand to see to Agent Coulson’s needs.” She smiled a little. “Frankly, I’m looking forward to a little sun once we get there.”

“Did you give Dr. Somerville the news?”

“He was understandably thrilled. Giving him his own private lab with grants with free reign was a dream come true.  What about Dr. Vine?”

“I have something for him,” he assured her. “I’ll meet you in Tahiti in one week, Doctor.”

“Yes, sir.”

When he turned to leave, Dr. Goodman said, “Director Fury, will he ever know what happened here?”

“Absofuckinglutely not! Make sure Dr. Streiten knows it.”

~*~

Fury had his jet take him to Florence, Italy. He sent a text message and then picked up the simple white envelope. In it were a photo and a card with a bank account number on the back.

He took a taxi to the city center and was let off. Fury went to the little street café and got a seat. It had been years since he had taken one of these trips. This would be his third one in 15 years.

Fury ordered an espresso and took the white envelope out of the inside of his jacket. He set it on the table, sipped his espresso and began reading a paper. He looked as if he was an American tourist and no one gave him another look.

Once the envelope was taken, Fury got up, hailed a taxi and was taken back to the airport. He finished his journey back to the helicarrier.

~*~

He still had business to take care of and using some political capital he had earned, Fury set his next plan in motion. He was still high from the huge success that had been in bringing Coulson back. He couldn’t wait until the agent was back on the job. The world would feel right once again.

Fury picked Meagan up for lunch and afterwards he showed her the surprise. They walked about a large stylish empty office building. She was stunned by what she saw.

“What is this?”

“You’re new blood bank. It’ll be twice the size of your old place and you’ll be able to service more hospitals, increase your staff and maybe even hold some blood drives offsite.”

“What about where I’m at right now? I can’t run two blood banks, Nick.”

“You won’t have to. A local contractor is looking to develop some property and he’s already put in an offer.”

“What?” Meagan was stunned. “You sold my blood bank?”

“This is much better.”

“I never asked for better, Nick. I wanted out from under that board of directors because they thought they knew better than I did. I want to set my own rules.”

“You can here.”

Meagan slipped the purse off her shoulder and set it down on the floor. “What’s going on, Nick? Why did you really do this?”

“Why are you asking so many questions?”

“I’m not that good in bed to deserve this and you certainly aren’t making any grand moves to make an honest woman of me. Answer my question. What is going on?”

“Is it enough for me to show you how much I appreciate what you did, Meagan? You made a difference in someone who is very important to me. I can’t tell you any more than that.”

“Why not? Why is it such a secret, Nick?” When he didn’t say anything, Meagan continued. “What do you do?”

Fury grew serious. “I can’t tell you that.”

“You used me.” The realization of it was on her face. “My gut told me and I ignored it.”

“I did not use you, Meagan. What we’ve shared is important.”

“I’m just a doctor at a blood bank, Nick. The most important person I know is my pastor. I get single moms who are trying to put food on the table. There is more to you and you’re hiding it from me.”

“Don’t you think if I could tell you, I would?”

“I think you could tell me why this blood was so important to you. Why lives will be lost because I gave you over 200 units when you only needed 50. Lives were lost because this blood wasn’t there for them. So answer the goddamn question, Nick!”

“No.”

The tears on her face tore at Fury and there was no wiping them away.

“Do you want to do right by me, Nick? Fix this. I want my building back. Am I clear?”

“I can’t do that,” Fury told her.

“Why the hell not?”

“Someone will be asking questions and you can’t be there if you’re not willing to lie for me.”

“Tell me one more time that you didn’t use me.” Meagan wiped the tears from her face. When no answer came, she said, “I’ll lie for you if you get my building back and then I never want to see you again.”

She left him alone and he took out his phone. Fury scrolled through the numbers and stopped at the local attorney he had contracted to do the deals.

He stopped for a moment and took a deep breath. He didn’t want her to lie for him. He cared too much for her, but she wanted her life back before he steamrolled his way into it.

Fury dialed the number.

~*~

Fury spent the remainder of the day alone. He got an update on Coulson’s recovery and it was good. He was looking forward to a visit with his friend.

When Fury looked up at the tall building, he knew he had to stop. He took the elevator to the top floor, bypassed security and headed to the bar. It took little time to find the good stuff. Stark always put his own private stash of scotch in the back.

He poured a double of the $800 scotch and went to the balcony. Fury looked over the city and suddenly realized that it was the cleanest he’d seen it since after the battle for New York.

The footsteps behind him weren’t much of a surprise. He looked over his shoulder at Tony.

“Stark, where’s your Avenger buddies?”

Tony headed to the bar and picked up the scotch. “I should’ve known you’d sniff out the expensive shit.”

“Overrated garbage,” Fury said.

After Tony poured a glass, he went to the balcony. “Rogers is in D.C. learning how much politicians love him. Banner is back in the jungle trying to recreate what you stole from him. Tasha and Pepper took off for a shopping spree in Paris. I’m sure the economy could use the boost.”

“Barton is in upstate New York.”

“Yes, he’s discovering how sharp those damn claws of Wolverine’s really are.”

“What” Fury asked thinking he hadn’t heard it right. Logan and Clint. That was a complication he didn’t want to know about.

“Strange bedfellows, Fury. You know that.”

“Yeah.”

Tony’s phone went off and he pulled it out. He glanced at Fury. “It seems that noted neurosurgeon Dr. Alexander Vine was killed in an automobile accident early this morning.”

Fury wasn’t about to show a reaction. “So.”

“He went to medical school with one of your favorite SHIELD doctors, Amanda Goodman.”

“Auto accidents happen everyday, Tony.” Fury finished off his drink. He needed another.

“Yes, so they do.” Tony looked across the skyline at the setting sun. “Are you going to ever tell me what you’ve been doing for the past month?”

“You mean to tell me that I stumped the brilliant Tony Stark?”

“With a little more investigation I could probably put it together. Give me a week or two.”

“You may need even less than that.” Fury went to the bar and set his glass down. “I’ll give you a clue, Tony.”

“I’m ready.”

“When you look at Loki’s scoreboard, the only number in the win column is a zero. As long as I’m alive that’s all that fucking bastard will ever have.”

“Fury,” Tony said. “One thing was obvious. You did some underhanded shit. Was whatever you were doing worth it?”

Tony’s words took him back to the beginning of Operation Doghouse. It had all began with manipulating the Avengers with Coulson’s death. He had exploited a blood bank for his own means. Fury had put people’s lives at risk by bringing out the Hulk so he could make a grab for Banner’s research. Using both Wolverine and Clint both helped made it possible. He had confiscated alien technology and funneled an enormous amount of money to finance the project and used SHIELD resources in order to do it. He had taken over 200 units of blood most of which had wound up destroyed rather than saving lives. Then, he had a globally respected neurosurgeon killed. He lost the love of a good woman in the process.

During his trek to bring back Phil Coulson, Fury had left behind him a wake of destruction that couldn’t be measured.

“It has to be.”

Fury walked away.

 

END

**Author's Note:**

> Those blood bank tidbits are for real. You can't just do what you want with a unit of blood without someone finding out about it.


End file.
